It's been a long 53 days since Keyontae Johnson collapsed on the floor in Tallahassee coming out of a timeout. That day changed the course of the season for the Gators and for Johnson.
Florida, understandably, took two weeks after after the traumatic event but when Jonson was medically cleared from the hospital they returned to the court and Johnson, in a new role returned with them as a coach more than a teammate.
"After seeing all that happen, he was just up there just smiling, not even really saying anything, it’s just great to have him there after seeing that traumatic event. It’s definitely helped us," Noah Locke said on Tuesday. "It’s helped us that he’s been able to tell us some things that maybe we weren’t doing well in the game, being a coach out there and a leader. I mean it’s definitely helped us all being able to stay positive and just continue to get better.”
Full statement from the Johnson Family
We are so grateful for the outpouring of support and well wishes for Keyontae and our entire family. We are also incredibly thankful for the medical care provided and the willingness of experts here and across the country to be involved in helping us better understand the events of December 12.
University of Florida Health treating physicians consulted with other local and national experts who reviewed the relevant imaging and testing related to this case. The unanimous conclusion of all experts is that Keyontae's medical emergency was not related to or a result of a previous or current Covid diagnosis.
The consultation team included physicians from the Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Gainesville, University of Washington Center for Sports Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Yale University School of Medicine.
We continue to be committed to sharing any information that could be helpful to others. Our hope is that the experts' conclusion that this instance is not Covid-related will bring some peace of mind.
Our focus now is on Keyontae's academics and continued recovery. His resilience has been inspiring to watch. He will spend the rest of the season focused on being the best coach and teammate he can be. What comes next for Keyontae is for him to share on his own timeline.
